Mitchell Ryan Murtoff was born in Gettysburg, PA and raised in Gardners, PA. He spent several years living in Columbus, Ohio after college. He studied abroad in England and Scotland for one semester.  He then moved back to PA. In 2011, he started a successful woodworking business, Innovative Designs Unlimited, which is now known internationally. His first book, The Longing, was published in Oct 2020. His other book, The Rise, Fall,and Resurrection of Mitchell Ryan Murtoff has been published in Dec. 2022. He also has taken up playing guitar and frequents the local ice rink.